Columbia Structural Heart and Valve Center

For Your Visit

External view of the Herbert Irving Pavillion at CUIMC.

Getting Started

When considering if a heart valve procedure is right for you, the first step is to have an evaluation of your medical condition by our heart team in our Valve Clinic. Valve Clinic is held on Mondays with limited appointments on Wednesdays of every week. Please contact our offices at 212-342-0444 to schedule an appointment.

Before Your Appointment

Once your evaluation appointment has been scheduled, it is ideal that we receive certain medical records in advance (outlined below). Sending this information to us prior to your evaluation will reduce the time you spend with us, and potentially the need for additional testing.

  1. A summary of your medical records from your referring physician.
  2. Images on CD or DVD of your most recent ECHOCARDIOGRAM (transthoracic or transesophageal) within the past year. If you have not had an echocardiogram within the past year, it is not necessary to have one prior to your appointment.
  3. Images on a CD or DVD from a CT SCAN (computed tomography) of your chest/abdomen/pelvis within the past year. If you have not had a CT scan within the past year, it is not necessary to have one prior to your appointment.
  4. Images on CD or DVD of your most recent cardiac catheterization, or at any point during your lifetime. If you have not had a cardiac catheterization, it is not necessary to have one prior to your appointment.

Please send images and reports, via a mail service that will allow you to track the package, to:

Clinical Coordination Team
Structural Heart and Valve Center
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
177 Fort Washington Avenue
5th Floor, Room 5C-501
New York, NY 10032
212-342-0444

On the Day of Your Appointment

To make your appointment with us free from stress, and as comfortable as possible, we have outlined what you can expect during your appointment as well as other useful information:

  • Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment (please do not arrive more than 15 minutes prior to your appointment, as we will not be able to see you before your appointment time).
  • Please bring your completed Patient Welcome Packet
  • Please bring a photo ID (driver’s license or passport).
  • Please bring all of your health insurance cards.
  • Dress casually and comfortably and bring a book or another quiet activity during wait times.
  • Bring whatever snacks your diet allows unless otherwise advised in accordance with your appointment. Patients who are having a CT scan should refrain from eating for two hours prior to the test.
  • Patients requiring a wheelchair may request one at the registration desk in the lobby of Milstein Hospital.
  • Plan to be with us for 3 to 4 hours.

During your appointment, you will meet with members of our heart team including a cardiac surgeon, an interventional cardiologist, physician assistants, and other medical personnel.

Below is a sample of how the appointment time is organized:

  1. Members of our clinical team will meet with you to discuss your medical history and review the records and images we received prior to your appointment.
  2. You will be examined by one of our physicians or physician assistants who will ask questions about your medical history and current symptoms to help us to gain a better understanding of your condition.
  3. It is possible that you will be scheduled for one or more tests, such as an echocardiogram or a CT scan. We will do our best to schedule any additional testing on the same day as your appointment.
  4. At this point, the heart team will meet together to discuss your medical condition and agree upon the best course of treatment for you.
  5. The heart team will meet with you to discuss their findings, and if necessary, their treatment recommendations.
  6. You will have ample time throughout your visit to ask questions.
  7. Following your appointment, the results of your evaluation will be communicated to your referring physician.

Note: If you have an echocardiogram or a CT scan during your appointment, the results will not be available the day of the test. A physician assistant will call you to discuss the results, typically within five days. If you have not heard from us with the results within one week, please feel free to call our offices.

Parking

There are various parking facilities available to Columbia Structural Heart & Valve Center patients and visitors. Garages are open 7 days a week with 24-hour assistance.

Click on the links below for patient and visitor parking information:

There are also numerous public parking facilities in the area.